"Shared appetite" for new Ricciardo deal - Renault

Renault

"Shared appetite" for new Ricciardo deal - Renault

Ricciardo is out of contract at the end of the year

Sam Hall

Monday 11 May 2020 02:00

Daniel Ricciardo's Renault journey has much more to offer, according to team boss Cyril Abiteboul.

Ricciardo is out of contract at the end of 2020, and there is likely to be a number of teams keen to secure the services of the Australian for 2021 if he fails to agree a new deal with the French manufacturer.

“We do feel it is a journey that has much more to offer than what it offered last year," Abiteboul told Formula1.com. "We all know last year was a bit of mixed feelings, mixed results, to many degrees.

“We feel we can do better, which is why certainly there is a shared feeling we should do more.

"Whether that leads to an extension of the contract, time will tell. There is certainly a shared appetite, if my understanding is correct.”

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The traditional 'silly season' in the driver transfer market usually begins in May, with rumours linking most top drivers with a move to either Ferrari or Mercedes.

The rumours begin at this point because, as Abiteboul confirmed, it is also around this time that contract renewal talks start.

However, with no racing and, crucially from Ricciardo's point of view no idea as to where Renault stack up when compared to the rest of the field, such discussions will now take place later this year.

“In a normal season, it is clearly around May and June you start having discussions,” continued Abiteboul.

“It’s an unusual season to a certain degree. It’s postponed a number of things, but having said that we have to keep planning for the future, so that is part of the things which are taking place with Daniel and others.

"We’re not desperate to have a resolution about that but for sure we’re planning.”

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